Publisher's Summary

Perhaps the best golfer ever, Tiger Woods rocketed to the top of a once whites-only sport. Endorsements made him a global brand and the world’s richest athlete. The child of a multiracial marriage, Woods and his blond, blue-eyed wife, Elin Nordegren, seemed to represent a new postracial America. Then, in late 2009, Woods became embroiled in a sex scandal that made headlines worldwide. In this concise yet far-reaching analysis, Orin Starn brings an anthropologist’s perspective to bear on Tigergate. He explores our modern media obsession with celebrity scandals and their tawdry ritualized drama, yet he offers much more than the usual banal moralizing about the rich and famous. Starn explains how Tiger’s travails and the culture of golf reflect broader American anxieties - about race and sex, scapegoating and betrayal, and the role of the sports hero. The Passion of Tiger Woods is required listening for all those interested in the high-stakes world of professional golf, the politics of sports and celebrity, and the myths and realities surrounding the flawed yet riveting figure who remains among the most famous athletes of our time.

Story

Tigergate

An interesting analysis of the Tiger Woods sex scandal and the media hype that fed the beast. An anthropological study of our culture's obsession with fame and misfortune. Superb narration by McConnohie.

The Shredding Never Stops

When the PGA's superstar crashed his car into a tree and became engulfed in scandal, it seemed as if the world couldn’t wait to rip him to shreds.

The clean-cut, post-racial It-Man became a sweating Lothario overnight. The long tail of this epic has surpassed everyone's initial projection.

The ferocity of the public judgement suggests Tiger was condemned for more than “professional-athlete-has-illicit-sex” deserves. Enter author Orin Starn with an unsparing and witty analysis.

The Passion of Tiger Woods is written from a quirky anthropologist’s perspective. Composed post-Tiger-gate— if one can say it ever ends— this book examines America’s fascination with sports, celebrities, scandals, and racial conflict. Eat it up with a big, BIG spoon.